Welcome to Your 2021

preptober workbook
Hello, writer! Thank you so much for picking up the Preptober
Workbook. This is my fifth year putting out the workbook, and
it’s bigger and better than ever before. With over seventy pages
of content, this workbook will assist you through prepping in
October, writing during NaNoWriMo, and figuring out what to
do with your WIP when December rolls around.

If you’re looking for additional support and guidance, make

sure to check out my YouTube channel, where I’ll be sharing
NaNo tips and tricks and vlogging my process as I prepare to
write a new book in November. It’s been a year since I last wrote
for myself, and I’m equally excited and anxious to find out if my
fingers still know how to put words to a page.

All right, enough of an intro. Let’s prep!

 Table of Contents
Color Your Way to 50k 3 Build Your Villain 36
Master To-DO List 5 Villain Visuals 38
Weekly To-Do Lists 6 Character ProfileS 39
Livestream Tracker 11 Character Questions 43
Word Count Calendar 12 Develop Your Setting 44
Word Sprint Tracker 13 Setting SheetS 45
Self-Care Bingo 14 Choosing Your POV 51
Setting Goals 15 Choosing Your Tense 52
Writing Routines 17 Try It Out 53
My Writing Schedule 18 Story Structure 54
Writing Rituals 19 Basic Outline 55
Get Inspired 20 Natalia’s Blurb Outline 56
Basics of Your Good Book 21 Blurb Outline 57
Basics of Natalia’s Good Book 22 Outlining Chapter One 59
Brainstorming New Ideas 23 Story/Series Bible 60
Narrowing It Down 25 Working Title 61
What’s Your Book About? 26 Potential Titles 62
Creating a Mood 28 What If I Get Stuck? 63
My Writing Playlist 29 Weekly Review 64
Creating an Aesthetic 30 Final Review 68
Crazy Ideas Live Here 31 Thank You 69
Meet Your Main Character 33 Let’s Connect 71
Main Character Visuals 35 Extra Pages 73
 I’m Scared to Write
It’s been over a year since I last worked on Whiskey City, the second book in my Pistol
Daisy series and my current WIP. I stopped writing in September of 2020 due to an
overwhelming amount of editing work, and as I slowly drifted out of the habit, it
became harder and harder to return to my story and pick up where I’d left off. And
now I’m scared.

What if I can’t find Daisy’s voice again? What if I can’t figure out a coherent plot? Will
I want to give up? Move on?

These questions have been running through my head for months, and they’re getting
louder as we approach NaNoWriMo. I’m crazy worried that I’ve lost my spark and won’t
know how to write now that I’ve taken so much time off, but I think NaNo is the best
time to jump back in. There’s no time to sit around and worry if my sentences are clean
enough or if the characters are headed in the right direction, and while that’s certainly
important in later drafts, at this point I just need to put my fingers on the keyboard
and write something. Even if it’s terrible, makes no sense, or sends my characters in a
completely wrong direction, at least I’ll be making progress and building those writing
muscles up again.

If you’re scared too, you’re not alone. I’ve been freaking out for months in fear I’ll never
be able to write a book again, but I’m going to try to put that fear aside and focus on
doing the work and trying to get back into the swing of this whole storytelling thing.

I hope you’ll join me.

2
 Color Your Way to 50k
Each doodle below represents one thousand words. You can color one doodle for every thousand
words you write, making this page a fun way to track your progress.

3
This page blank in case your coloring page bleeds through. :)
 Master To-DO List
I always have a million things to do to get prepared for NaNo. You can use the next few pages
to make lists of everything you need to do to feel ready when November arrives.

5
 Sunday Saturday friday

6
Notes
October 1-3
 Sunday Saturday Friday Thursday Wednesday Tuesday Monday

7
October 4-10
 Sunday Saturday Friday Thursday Wednesday Tuesday Monday

8
October 11-17
 Sunday Saturday Friday Thursday Wednesday Tuesday Monday

9
October 18-24
 Sunday Saturday Friday Thursday Wednesday Tuesday Monday

10
October 25-31
 Livestream Tracker
If you’re struggling to write, I highly recommend you join a livestream (or ten). Livestreams are
a fun way to get energized and feel like you’re writing with friends. You can use the space below
to list out the livestreams you want to join so you don’t miss them.

Date Time Channel

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 Word Count Calendar
DAY GOAL ACTUAL RECOMMENDED
1 1,667
2 3,334
3 5,001
4 6,668
5 8,335
6 10,002
7 11,669
8 13,336
9 15,003
10 16,670
11 18,337
12 20,004
13 21,671
14 23,338
15 25,005
16 26,672
17 28,339
18 30,006
19 31,673
20 33,340
21 35,007
22 36,674
23 38,341
24 40,008
25 41,675
26 43,342
27 45,009
28 46,676
29 48,343
30 50,000
 Word Sprint Tracker
You can use the table below to track your writing sprints. If you’re feeling stuck, a few
10-minute sprints might be exactly what you need to get the words flowing again.

DURATION GOAL ACTUAL DURATION GOAL ACTUAL

15 minutes 250 187
 Self-Care Bingo
It’s always important to take care of yourself, and that’s especially true during the craziness of
NaNoWriMo. Fill the bingo board below with activities that make you feel happy, healthy, and
refreshed. Color in each square you complete, and reward yourself when you get a bingo.

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 Setting Goals
I find taking small steps is the best way of making progress toward a larger goal or dream.
Saying “I’m going to write an entire novel this month!” is great and all, but that’s a huge goal
and won’t be easy to accomplish. That’s where these smaller steps come in.
If your goal is to write 50k this month, I encourage you to break that into bite-size pieces
that’ll be more attainable. For example, you could write for one hour three nights a week
or work on your outline while on your lunch break at work. These are steps you can easily
commit to, and you’ll feel proud and fulfilled when you accomplish them.
You can use these pages to track goals and determine actionable steps you can take to get
that much closer to achieving your wildest dreams.

✓ 1. First Actionable Step

Use this space to write

down a big goal you have!
2. Second Actionable Step

3. Third Actionable Step

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16
 Writing Routines
Writing routines can help boost productivity and limit distractions. If you already have a
writing routine, great! If not, you can use the questions below to start developing one.

» How often do you want to write?

» What time of day are you most creative?

» What time do you wake up during the week? What about on weekends?

» What time do you go to bed during the week? On weekends?

» What are your work hours/hours you’re unavailable?

» What Are you willing to give up to make time for writing? (Ahem, Netflix?)

» What aren’t you willing to give up for writing? (Family time, exercise, etc.)

After answering the above questions, use the next page to craft a realistic writing schedule.

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 Use these boxes to
color-code your work,
My Writing Schedule
sleep, writing time,
family time, etc.

Time Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 a.m.

2 a.m.

3 a.m.

4 a.m.

5 a.m.

6 a.m.

7 a.m.

8 a.m.

9 a.m.

10 a.m.

11 a.m.

12 p.m.

1 p.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m.

4 p.m.

5 p.m.

6 p.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

9 p.m.

10 p.m.

11 p.m.

12 a.m.

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 Writing Rituals
Writing rituals can help tell your brain, “Hey, it’s time to write!” You might put on comfortable
sweatpants, turn on the same playlist you always listen to, or pour a cup of coffee. Use the
space below to make a list of writing rituals you can use to help get focused when it comes
time to write.

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 Get Inspired
What inspires you? I’m inspired by video games, rainy weather, long hikes through the
woods, and different types of music. I know we can’t be inspired all the time, but when we
need a little boost or are struggling to get new ideas, a bit of inspiration can go a long way.
Use this page to brainstorm different ways you can get inspired!

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 Basics of Your Good Book
I include this page in the workbook every year because it’s such a great foundation when
trying to come up with story ideas.We’re all interested in and intrigued by different stories.
I like fantasy and historical; you might like romance and thriller. Because we have different
preferences when it comes to stories, we each have a different idea about what makes a book
“good.” Use the space below to determine what your good book is. You can turn the page to
look at an example of my good book.

Story Mood Genre

Setting Character Theme

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Basics of Natalia’s Good Book

Story Mood Genre

The Witcher Magical Historical
Red Dead Redemption Whimsical Fantasy
Pistol Daisy Tragic Paranormal
Harry Potter Raw Hint of romance
Song of the Dryad Heartfelt Contemporary fantasy
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Scorpio Races
Graceling
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Ghost of Tsushima
Last of Us

Setting Character Theme

Cold castle Warrior Revenge
Rugged wilderness Pirate Honor
Mountains, snowstorms Mermaid Sacrifice
Boarding school/Academy Fairy True love
Witch Survival
Gunslinger Heartbreak
Adventurer
The “chosen” one
Power couple
Outcast/rebel/outlaw
Morally gray

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 Brainstorming New Ideas
I love a good brainstorming session. I turn on a playlist, grab a cup of coffee, and let the
ideas take me away! Using your answers from the Basics of Your Good Book page, use the
next couple pages to brainstorm novel ideas that intrigue and excite you. Remember: no
idea is too silly or “out-there” for this page. Let your creativity go crazy!

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 Narrowing It Down
Now that you’ve filled the last two pages with lots of story ideas, it’s time to narrow it down.
Look at your ideas and ask yourself, “Could I turn this into an entire book? Is it interesting
enough to spend 50k words with?” If the answer is yes, put it on this page! We’ll use the
next page to develop a problem and premise for each story to help you decide which to
write for NaNoWriMo.

1.

2.

3.

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 What’s Your Book About?
Every book needs a main problem (and lots of small ones along the way), and the idea plus
the problem gives us the premise, or the specifics of how this story works. Use the space be-
low to craft a premise for each of your three novel ideas. I’ll fill in the first one for my newest
book, Pistol Daisy, to give you an example of how this works.

EXAMPLE:

Novel Idea: A girl in the Wild West.

Main Problem: The girl’s family is killed by an outlaw gang.

Premise: Daisy Allen, a young woman living in Colorado in 1880, must find the courage and
means to seek revenge on the infamous Hopkins gang after they kill her family.

Novel Idea:

Main Problem:

Premise:

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Novel Idea:

Main Problem:

Premise:

Novel Idea:

Main Problem:

Premise:

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 Creating a Mood
Mood—and how a story makes a reader feel—is, in my opinion, one of the most important
aspects of a novel. I might not remember all the details of my favorite books, but you can bet
I remember exactly how that book made me feel while I was reading it. Use the questions
below to pin down the mood and tone you want to convey in your story.

How do I want my reader to feel while they’re reading my book?

What three words describe the mood I want to convey to readers?

1.

2.

3.

What three Books or movies did a great job of conveying this mood?

1.

2.

3.

what about these three books or movies made them so successful at eliciting emotion in ME? What did I love
about them, and how can I communicate those same emotions in my work?

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 My Writing Playlist
Whenever I get stuck on a writing project, I like to slip my earbuds in, turn on my playlist,
and imagine scenes unfolding like some sort of epic music video. Having good music to get
inspired by has helped me plot and write more scenes than I can even imagine. Music can
be a powerful source of inspiration, and I encourage you to write down a list of songs that
inspire or motivate you to work on your project. When you’re done, you can create a You-
Tube playlist of these songs so they’re easy to access when you need a boost of inspiration.

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 Creating an Aesthetic
I’ll admit that Pinterest is one of my favorite places to waste an hour or two. I can get
completely immersed in the project I’m working on and spend way too much time finding
images for every character, scene, setting, etc.

This is your opportunity to go crazy on Pinterest. If you don’t already have an account, I
highly recommend you make one. I’d suggest making a few different boards for your story so
it’s easy to navigate. You can create boards for your main character, villain, main setting(s),
mood, ideas for cover design, general aesthetics, and more!

If you ever get stuck when you’re writing a character or a setting, you can quickly pull up
your Pinterest board, look at some images, and immediately feel more inspired for the scene
you’re working on.

Main Character Board

Check of
f or colo
when co r in
Villain Board mplete!

Setting / World Board

General mood / aesthetic board

Book Cover Ideas Board

Post an aesthetic on social media!

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 Crazy Ideas Live Here
Now that you’ve picked a story idea, developed a premise, and decided on a mood you want
to convey, it’s time to start brainstorming ideas for characters, scenes, problems, relation-
ships, etc. I love putting my playlist on and allowing myself to daydream. I get some of my
best ideas that way, and then I write them down in a notebook so I can look back on them
later. Use the next two pages to jot down any ideas you get for your story, no matter how
crazy they might seem.

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32
 Meet Your Main Character
I’ve found that I don’t truly know my main character until I’ve spent an entire book with
them, and even then I still have much to discover. My characters tend to reveal themselves
to me a little at a time, so I don’t find 100-question character sheets to be of much help.
However, nailing down your character basics can go a long way in keeping your character
details consistent.

Basic Details

Name:

Age:

Gender:

Birthday:

Personality Type:

Appearance:

History:

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 Advanced Details
Why did you choose this character to tell your story?

What does your character want, and why do they want it?

What is standing in the way of your MC getting what they want?

What is your character afraid of?

What are your character’s beliefs?

What does your character need to learn / how do they need to change in order to get what they want?

These questions are just the tip of the iceberg. You can find longer character questionnaires
if that’s helpful, but I suggest getting the basics down and then letting your character breathe
and grow as you craft their story. My characters will sometimes resist if I try to force them
into certain personalities or roles, so by keeping their details and personalities a bit brief,
you might just be allowing your characters to spread their wings and grow naturally as the
story progresses.

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 Main Character Visuals
Remember how I mentioned a few pages back that Pinterest can be a helpful tool for getting
inspiration? I encourage you to return to your Pinterest board and print out photos for your
main character. These could be photos of what your character looks like, the clothing they
wear, the weapons they use, or the city they live in. Have fun, and get creative!

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 Build Your Villain
I love villains and sometimes (if they’re written well) find the villain’s story more interesting
than the hero’s. It seems like villains are often an afterthought. The last thing you want is
your villain to be a bad guy just because he wants to be a bad guy. There are plenty of books
that have a villain who wants to kill everyone and take over the world just because. That’s
boring, and it does your villain a disservice. Remember: villains are the heroes of their own
stories. So take a moment to step into your villain’s shoes and view the story through their
eyes. You can use the questions below and on the next page to cultivate a deeper under-
standing of who your villain is and what they really want.

Who is your villain? What are their hobbies, their quirks, their joys?

What happened in your villain’s life to set them on this path?

What does your villain want, and why do they want it?

What will happen if your villain doesn’t get what they want?

36
Does your villain love anyone? Do they have family, friends, a romantic partner?

What are some good qualities your villain has?

What’s something your villain would never do?

What are your villain’s beliefs?

What is your villain’s moral code?

What will ultimately happen to your villain?

Now that you have answers to all these questions, you’re on your way to
writing a believable, formidable villain.
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 Villain Visuals
You can use this as a visual inspiration page for your villain. Just like with your main
character, you can put photos here of what your villain looks like, what the emblem on their
evil ship is, their weapon of choice, or maybe even a photo of their cat.

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 Character Profile
Put a
pictu
chara re of your
cter h
ere

Name:_________________________________________________

Age:___________________________________________________

Birthday:________________________________________

Gender:_________________________________________

Appearance:___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Role in Story:__________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Goals/Wants:__________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Fears:________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

History:______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Other:_______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

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 Character Profile
Name:_________________________________________________

Age:___________________________________________________

Birthday:________________________________________

Gender:_________________________________________

Appearance:___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Role in Story:__________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Goals/Wants:__________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Fears:________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

History:______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Other:_______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

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 Character Profile
Name:_________________________________________________

Age:___________________________________________________

Birthday:________________________________________

Gender:_________________________________________

Appearance:___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Role in Story:__________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Goals/Wants:__________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Fears:________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

History:______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Other:_______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

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 Character Profile
Name:_________________________________________________

Age:___________________________________________________

Birthday:________________________________________

Gender:_________________________________________

Appearance:___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Role in Story:__________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Goals/Wants:__________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Fears:________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

History:______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Other:_______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

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 Character Questions
Getting to know your characters can sometimes be like getting to know a new friend. It
takes a while to find out someone’s quirks and unique characteristics, and that’s where char-
acter questions come in. I encourage you to pick a question or two and use the blank pages
at the back of the workbook to explore the answers.

WHat’s your character’s relationship with their parents? Siblings? Extended family?

Has your character ever been in love? How did this affect their life?

What’s one thing your characters loves about themselves? Hates about themselves?

What is your character’s biggest secret? Have they shared this secret with anyone?

What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to your character? Did this experience change
their life in any way?

What does your character do for fun?

What does your character want, and what’s standing in their way of getting it?

Where was your character born? WHy did they leave that place?

Does your character have any regrets?

What is your character’s favorite season? What seasonal activities do they enjoy?

Is your character more introverted or extroverted? How does this manifest in

their daily life?

Does your character have any pets? Why or why not?

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 Develop Your Setting

I love developing the worlds/settings my stories take place in. Some of my favorite stories
have settings that feel so real I can imagine stepping into them and exploring the cobblestone
streets, snowy mountains, or windswept plains. A well-written setting can feel like a character
accompanying your reader through the novel. Whether this is a warm and whimsical setting,
like I developed in Song of the Dryad, or a cold and dangerous setting, like one you might find
in an enemy king’s medieval castle, the setting can communicate mood to the reader and have
a direct impact on how the story plays out.

What you don’t want is to completely forget the setting, in which case your story would suffer
from White Room Syndrome. (I have an entire video on this topic that you can watch here.*)

You can use the next few pages to develop different settings in your story world (or worlds),
and I encourage you to print out photos to use as visual inspiration. This is where that Pinterest
board we talked about really comes in handy!

*You can access links by clicking on them in the PDF.

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 Setting Sheet
Name of Place:_________________________________________________________________

Location:______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Season:_______________________________________________________________________

Mood/Feel:___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Dominant Language:____________________________________________________________

Dominant Religion:_____________________________________________________________

Sights:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Smells:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Sounds: ______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Extra:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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Setting Visuals

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 Setting Sheet
Name of Place:_________________________________________________________________

Location:______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Season:_______________________________________________________________________

Mood/Feel:___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Dominant Language:____________________________________________________________

Dominant Religion:_____________________________________________________________

Sights:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Smells:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Sounds: ______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Extra:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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Setting Visuals

48
 Setting Sheet
Name of Place:_________________________________________________________________

Location:______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Season:_______________________________________________________________________

Mood/Feel:___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Dominant Language:____________________________________________________________

Dominant Religion:_____________________________________________________________

Sights:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Smells:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Sounds: ______________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Extra:________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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Setting Visuals

50
 Choosing Your POV
Before you dive into writing an entire novel, it would be beneficial to take a moment to decide
on your point of view (POV). As an editor, I often see errors in POV, so I want to cover the
different options here to give you a bit of a head start for your novel. POV is a term readers,
writers, and editors use when referring to narration or who is telling the story. The most
common POVs are first person and third person. There is such a thing as second person POV,
but it’s uncommon, and I wouldn’t recommend it for a novel.

In first person POV, the character is telling the story in their own voice. They’ll use words like
“I,” “my,” and “me” to tell the story. Here’s an example from my newest novel, Pistol Daisy.

I close my eyes. The silence settles over me like snow on our fields in
early November.

Daisy is telling her story in her own voice, and she uses the words “I,” “my,” and “me.” The main
character is our narrator in a first person POV story.

In third person POV, a distant narrator is telling the story. This is where things can get a bit
tricky, especially for new writers. You can have third person limited narration or third person
omniscient narration. Third person limited means the narrator knows only what the main
viewpoint character is thinking and feeling. Many people write in third person limited, but I’ve
also seen lots of head-hopping in third person limited stories, which is something to be aware
of. Head-hopping occurs when the narrator accidentally tells us what other characters in the
story are thinking or feeling. This is an error in third person limited because the narrator can
only know what the main viewpoint character is thinking. Below is an example of third person
limited from my novel Song of the Dryad.

Some small voice in Charlotte’s head told her to be wary of this place, but she pushed
it away, irritated that her childish fears still had so much control over her. Charlotte
stepped into the ring of toadstools and bent down to gather up Mom’s belongings.

In this third person POV story, the narrator uses words like “her,” “she,” and “Charlotte.”
Charlotte Barclay is the main character, and the narrator only knows what Charlotte is thinking.
This varies from a third person omniscient story, in which the narrator knows what all the
characters are thinking and feeling and can smoothly shift between them so as to avoid jostling
or disorienting the reader. I most often see stories written in third person limited, and because
of this I encourage you to be careful of head-hopping if you select this POV. Remember, the
narrator can only know what your main viewpoint character is thinking and feeling. They can’t
“hop” into the heads of the other characters.

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 Choosing Your Tense
Along with POV, tense is an important aspect of narration and storytelling. Although I could
list out a bunch of crazy tenses (like past perfect tense and future perfect tense), the most
important tenses you need to know about are present tense and past tense.

Like the terms suggest, a present tense story happens in the present, and a past tense story
happened in the past. This means you have to conjugate your verbs according to your chosen
tense. Let’s look at the verb “walk” for example.

Daisy walks through the saloon doors. (Present tense)

Charlotte walked through the Greenwood. (Past tense)

These are simple examples, and verb tenses can become tricky when working in future tense,
past perfect tense, etc., but the most important thing to remember is that you need to properly
conjugate your verbs depending on the tense you choose.

Another important aspect of choosing a tense is simply writer preference. I typically write in
past tense, but while writing Pistol Daisy I discovered that I love writing in present tense as
well. There’s something about first person present tense that feels gripping and explosive, and
while writing, I felt as if I were truly there in the action as Daisy galloped across the plains or
aimed down the sights of her revolver. (Granted, by showing instead of telling and limiting
filtering, your story will feel immersive to readers no matter the tense and POV you choose.)

If you’re having a difficult time choosing your tense and POV, I suggest doing some research on
other books in your genre. Although there are bound to be outliers, you might find your genre
has a dominant sway one way or the other, and that could help you decide how you want to tell
your story. Use the next page to try out a few different styles.

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 Try It Out!
Use the space below to write a few sentences in different tenses and POVs. You may find
yourself drawn more naturally to one style.

First person, Present tense:_______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

First person, Past tense:__________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Third person, Present tense:______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Third person, Past tense:_________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

53
 Story Structure
You’ve picked a premise, developed both your main character and your villain, selected a
setting, and dabbled in different methods of narration. Now that you’ve done all this work, it’s
time to start structuring it into a story.

At its most basic, story structure is simply:

» An opener/look at your main character and what their life is like

» An inciting incident that changes your character’s world

» A series of successes and failures that build toward the climax

» A climactic scene in which the most intense moment of the story occurs

» An ending during which loose ends are wrapped up and remaining questions are left
unanswered if you intend to write another book

Depending on your writing style, you might prefer an in-depth outline or something a bit sim-
pler. I’ve tried different outlining methods over the years, and I’ve found that no two books are
the same. I outlined and reoutlined Song of the Dryad multiple times, but for the first draft of
Pistol Daisy, I just had a basic outline and an overflowing well of inspiration. What I’ve learned
is that I have to be flexible and open to change—being too set in my ways leads to creative
blocks and a lack of motivation.

Pantsers and plotters alike have written memorable, compelling stories, so don’t feel like you
need to lean one way or the other. If it works for you, that’s what matters.

I’ll include a basic “outlining” sheet, though if you want something more in-depth, I’d suggest
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel. I know there are lots of different outlining books and methods out
there, but STC! has been the most helpful for me by far. Another outlining method I’ll include
here is what I’ve recently developed for myself, and I simply call it the Blurb Outline. One of
the editorial services I offer is editing/refining book blurbs, and after taking a class on this topic
and editing more blurbs than I can count, I came to realize how helpful a blurb can be in deter-
mining what your book is actually about, as well as where it might be lacking. Feel free to use
both sheets or neither—it’s up to you! You’ll also find additional blank pages at the end of this
workbook if you want to create story webs, do more brainstorming, etc.

54
 Basic Outline
Opening Scene:

Inciting Incident:

Lowest Point:

Climax:

Ending:

55
 Natalia’s Blurb Outline

EXAMPLE
The year is 1880, and outlaw gangs roam the West.

When Daisy Allen’s family is brutally murdered by the infamous Hopkins gang, she’s
left with two options: drown in a bottle of whiskey and grief, or saddle up and hunt the
killers down. Accompanied by strangers in pursuit of the same outlaws, Daisy takes to
the Colorado plains with an old revolver and a hunger for revenge. But the Hopkins
gang isn’t easily found, and as their pockets run dry and the trail goes cold, Daisy and
her companions may be at the end of the road. She must learn how to survive in this
dangerous world of outlaws and gunslingers, or her only chance at avenging her family
may be lost.

Brief description of main character: When Daisy Allen’s family is brutally murdered by the
infamous Hopkins gang . . .

Brief setting description to ground us in place/time: Daisy takes to the Colorado plains . . .

What your character wants/their goal: . . . saddle up and hunt the killers down.

Problem/what’s standing in the way of your character achieving their goal: But the Hopkins
gang isn’t easily found, and as their pockets run dry and the trail goes cold, Daisy and her
companions may be at the end of the road.

What’s at stake if your character fails: . . . or her only chance at avenging her family may be lost.

How your character intends to solve the problem: She must learn how to survive in this
dangerous world of outlaws and gunslingers . . .

56
 Blurb Outline
Now it’s your turn! Remember that the order of these elements can be moved around, so
start by answering the question and then combine everything on the next page to finish up
your blurb outline.

Brief description of main character:

Brief setting description to ground us in place/time:

What your character wants/their goal:

Problem/what’s standing in the way of your character achieving their goal:

What’s at stake if your character fails:

How your character intends to solve the problem:

57
 Blurb Outline
Try writing your blurb!

More pages are available at the end of this workbook for further outlining.

58
 Outlining Chapter One
If you’re going to try to write an entire novel this November, then outlining your first chap-
ter might help give you a head start. You can use this page to outline chapter one so you’re
ready to go when the clock strikes twelve on November 1!

Character(s) Present:

Setting:

Mood/Tone:

Hook:

What happens in this chapter?

Why did you choose this scene to introduce readers to your novel?

How do you want readers to feel at the end of this chapter?

59
 Story/Series Bible
I’ve learned the hard way how important and helpful it is to have a story/series bible. This is
essentially a place where you keep details about your characters, world, magic systems, etc.
Having a story or series bible helps preserve continuity in your story or series. If your character
has green eyes on page ten and blue eyes on page one hundred, that’s a problem. Additionally, if
one of your side characters has a scar on their left cheek in book one but then it moves to their
right cheek in book three, it’s an issue. Keeping a story bible allows you to quickly reference a
list of details/events that have occurred in your story world so you don’t have to go searching
through your entire book to figure out what that one character’s mother’s name was in that
chapter you can’t quite remember.

There are many ways to create a story/series bible. You could create it by hand in a notebook
or three-ring binder, you could create a Word document with headings and subheadings for
easy navigation, or (if you’re looking for something a bit more fancy) you could try Campfire,
which is what I use for my series bibles. My Pistol Daisy series bible has saved me on multiple
occasions, and I’m in the process of bulking up my series bible for Song of the Dryad as well.

If you’re interested in Campfire, you can learn more about them and try a free trial here. And
don’t forget to tell them Natalia sent you!

60
 Working Title
I love coming up with titles for my books, even if they’re just working titles that I can use to
reference my story when I’m talking about it on social media. Something to keep in mind when
picking a title is that you want it to catch your potential reader’s attention, be memorable, and
tell the reader a little bit about the book. I can use both Song of the Dryad and Pistol Daisy as
examples here. Song of the Dryad is a cozy contemporary fantasy, and the fantasy elements are
made obvious through use of the word “dryad.” Pistol Daisy is a historical fiction novel, and I
wanted the title to convey Daisy’s strength and determination, hence the word “pistol” in the
title. They’re very different novels and needed to have extremely different titles.

A great way to start coming up with titles is by compiling a list of words/phrases that have
something to do with your world, story, characters, etc. After making this long list, you can start
picking and choosing words and phrases and pairing them together until you get something
that sounds like music to your ears. Use the space below to brainstorm a list of words/phrases
that best represent your novel, then use the next page to turn this collection of words into
potential titles.

61
Potential Titles

62
 What If I Get Stuck?
Even seasoned writers get stuck. Whether you’re new to this or have been writing for more
years than you can count, it’s generally a good idea to assume you’ll get stuck at some point. For
me, this usually happens when I hit Act 2. I start to lose steam, my creative well isn’t nearly as
full as it was when I first started the story, and watching Netflix or playing video games seems
a lot more appealing than writing. The first step is to accept that you’ll get stuck at some point.

Something I’ve found helpful over the years is having a set time to write. Maybe this is at 5 a.m.
before you head to work or at 9 p.m. after you’ve put the kids to bed or finished your homework.
Whatever the case, it’s helpful to have even a small window of time dedicated specifically to
writing. (Refer back to page 18 if you need to be reminded of the writing schedule you planned
for yourself.)

Another tip for getting unstuck is to listen to your writing playlist as often as possible. (You
made a list of songs on page 29.) Listening to your writing playlist can remind you of why you
fell in love with this story idea in the first place. Allow yourself to daydream and imagine new
scenes unfolding, and make sure to jot down any cool ideas that come to you!

My third tip for pushing through the hard days is to get involved in a writing community. For
me this is Authortube. I love participating in the writing community on YouTube, and I know
it’s made me a better and more confident writer. I’m incredibly introverted and can get nervous
around new people, so meeting up with writing groups isn’t usually for me, but if that’s your
cup of tea, then make sure you’re going to those meetings with your writing friends so you can
feel supported and encouraged while working on this new project. If you don’t have a writing
community yet, you’re in luck. There are huge communities of writers all over the internet.
From Instagram to Twitter to the NaNoWriMo forums, I’m certain you’ll be able to find a place
that feels like home.

So when you get stuck, just take a breath and remember that this happens to everyone. Pour
that cup of tea, turn on that song that always gets you excited to write, and know that as long
as you don’t give up (which you’re not going to do, right?) you’re going to get through this. It’s
just part of the process, my friend.

63
 Weekly Review
November 1 - November 7
New Words Written: Total WOrds Written:
Successes: Struggles:

Lessons Learned: New Ideas:

Overall Thoughts:
 Weekly Review
November 8 - November 14
New Words Written: Total WOrds Written:
Successes: Struggles:

Lessons Learned: New Ideas:

Overall Thoughts:
 Weekly Review
November 15 - November 21
New Words Written: Total WOrds Written:
Successes: Struggles:

Lessons Learned: New Ideas:

Overall Thoughts:
 Weekly Review
November 22 - November 28
New Words Written: Total WOrds Written:
Successes: Struggles:

Lessons Learned: New Ideas:

Overall Thoughts:
 Final Review
November 29 - November 30
New Words Written: Total Words Written:
Successes: Struggles:

Lessons Learned: New Ideas:

Overall Thoughts:
 Thank You
Thank you so much for using the 2021 Preptober Workbook.
I hope you enjoyed it and found it helpful while preparing for
and participating in NaNoWriMo. I have a wonderful time
putting it together each year, and it’s incredibly fulfilling to see
writers from all over the world using it.

You might’ve finished your first draft, or maybe you got

halfway through and realized you’re writing a trilogy instead of
a duology and had to start all over. No matter how NaNo went
for you this year, you made progress, and that’s what counts.
Even backward momentum is still movement, and sometimes
you have to go backward in order to figure out the
right path forward.

Keep telling stories, and keep dreaming. I hope to see you back
here again for NaNo 2022.

All the best,

 Let’s Connect
www.natalialeigh.com
www.enchantedinkpublishing.com

@nataliaaleigh Natalia Leigh

Enchanted Ink offers editing, cover design, and formatting services.

Come visit us today if you’d like to get on our calendar!
 Extra Pages
You can use these extra pages for brainstorming, outlining, etc.